Ophthalmic mounting



March 17, 1936. L, C, mmm 2,034,406

OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Filed March 2l, 1954 'maag Patented Mar. 17, 1936UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OPHTHALMIC MOUNTING Application March 21,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to ophthalmic mountings and particularly to animproved method and means for securing nose-pieces or bridges andtemples to the lenses of rimless eyeglasses and spectacles.

One object of the invention is to provide an improved method forsecurely connecting ophthalmic mountings to the lenses of eyeglasseswith means for maintaining the connection irm and rigid to prevent playand movement of the mountings with respect to the lenses. Another objectof the invention is to provide securing means for the purpose indicatedwhich enable the mountings to be easily and quickly applied to thelenses without requiring threaded connections or riveted joints or theuse of special tools.

Another' object of the invention is to provide securing means of thetype indicated employing a novel form of pin which may be insertedthrough alined holes in the lens and mounting and cemented or solderedto the mounting.

Another object of the invention is to provide securing means of the typeindicated having a connecting pin slightly smaller than the alined holesin the mounting and lens to provide that when the joint is heated cementor solder placed in the hole of the lens will flow along the pin andinto the hole in the mounting to effectively secure the pin thereto.

Another object of the invention is to provide securing means of the typeindicated which is simple in construction, neat and nished inappearance, and generally more efficient for the purpose specified.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the followingspecification which describes a preferred form of construction of theimproved securing means, by way of example, as illustrated by theaccompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of rimlessspectacles showing themountings for the nose-piece or bridge and the temples secured to thelenses by the present improved means;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged front view of one of the lenses showing themountings attached thereto by the present improved securing means;

Fig. 3 is an edge'view of the lens and mountings;

Fig. 4 is a further enlarged' part-sectional view of the mounting takenon line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and illustrating the method of assembling it onthe lens and t Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the parts`completely.assembled relationship;

1934, Serial N0. 716,610

In attaching the nose-piece or bridge to the lenses of rimlesseyeglasses, and also in connecting the temples to the lenses ofspectacles, it is customary to provide the mountings having strapsstraddling the opposite sides of the lenses and perforated with holesthrough which a screw is inserted to extend through a hole in the glass.Usually, the hole in one strap is threaded to engage the threads of thescrew and an arcuately-shape shoe, disposed between the straps, engagesagainst the edge of the lens to prevent the mounting from turning on thescrew.

The fittings or mountings for the eyeglasses are generally soldseparately as findings and the work of attaching them to the lenses isdone by the optician who ts the glasses to the eyes of the user. Itfrequently occurs that when the screw is inserted through the hole andtightened in place the lens is broken and must be replaced. When bindingscrews of this type are employed 20 they soon become loosened in use tocause shackly joints and are liable to drop out of place. It istherefore a principal object of the present invention to provide amethod and means for securely attaching the mountings or fittings to the25 lenses without dependence on screws or similar fastening means liableto work loose or to become worn and inefficient in use.

To accomplish this result the present invention provides meanscomprising a pin for attach- 30 ing the mounting in place on the lensand a novel method of cementing or soldering the pin in place. Apreferred form of construction of the improved securing means is shownin the accompanying drawing as hereinafter described in 35 detail.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawing, the pair of spectacles illustratedcomprises lenses 2 joined together by a bridge or nose-piece 3. Thenosepiece 3 is shown as having a curved crossbar 4 40 with oppositeparallel arms 5 extending forwardly therefrom. At the ends of the arms 5are right-angled portions terminating in opposite, spaced straps 1 whichoverlap the sides of the lenses Zand are secured thereto by means ofpins 45 I0, to be later described, passing through holes in the straps'I and the Ylenses 2. ,Y

The temples Il of the spectacles are attached to the outer rims of thelenses 2 in substantially the same manner, the mountings or end-pieces50 I2 having opposite straps I3 straddling the sides of the lenses andsecured thereto by the pins I0. The present improved attaching orsecuring means is adapted for use with either type of mounting, Figs. 4and 5 illustrating itin detail `55 as employed with the mounting orend-piece I2 for the temple II. The straps ,'I and I3 of the fittings 3and I2,Vrespectively, are provided with arcuate shoes I4 spaced at aslight distance from the edges of the lenses 2. Auxiliary shoes orspring-members I8, such as shown and described Vin United States LettersPatent No. 1,885,014 granted October 25, 1932, to Bror J.

Jacobson, are inserted between the rigid shoes I 4Y opposite end with areduced axial extension or stern 22 of considerable length. The head 2Imay be engraved or struck up with a suitable design on its outer face toharmonize with the mounting to which it is applied.

The opposite straps I3 of the member I2 are -provided with the usualalined holes 25 and 26.

The hole 25 is of a size adapted to receive the `larger body portion 20of the pin I I) while the hole 26 is smaller to accommodate the stem 22thereof. Usually, the hole 25 is countersunk at 24. In accordance withthe common practice the hole 26 is threaded to receive the end of theusual lens-screw but this is not essential to the purpose of the presentinvention. Whether the hole26 is threaded or smooth, the stem 22 of thepin I0 is made slightly smaller in diameter than the hole to provide afree t therein. 'Ihe body portion 20 of the pin I0 is proportioned toprovide a close t in the larger hole 25 of the mounting. The lens 2 ofthe spectacles has the usual screw hole 21 which may be slightly largerthan the hole 25 in the mounting I2. The improved method of attachingthe fitting or mounting I2 to the lens 2 is as next explained.

A suitable cement or, preferably, solder containing a flux is rstapplied to the sides of the hole 21 in the lens 2 in the mannerindicated at s in Fig. 4. The cement or solder may be of any suitablecompound as commonly used for similar purposes and its composition istherefore not herein specified. After applying the cement the mountingI2 is placed in position With its straps I3 straddling the sides of thelens 2 and its holes 25 and 26 in axial alinement with the hole 21 inthe lens; the auxiliary shoe or spring-member I8 on the mounting beingplaced against the edge of the lens and held under compression.

With the mounting I2 held in place on the lens 2 against the tension ofthe spring I8 thesecuring pin I Il is inserted through the holes 25, 21and 26 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 4. As

the pin I0 is slid into place its reduced portion or stem 22 enters thehole 26 of the mounting I2 and is projected therethrough carrying aportion of the cement with it. 'I'he body portion 20 of the pin entersthe hole 25 in the opposite strap `'portion I3 and is projected throughthe hole 2'I of the glass. As the pin I0 is pushed into place itsbeveled head 2| seats in the countersunk end of the hole 25 in the outerside of one strap I3, While its body portion 20, being of less lengththan the combined thickness of the lens and strap 1:3, falls short ofthe opposite strap. That is to say, the body portion of the pin is soproportioned in length as to prevent its shouldered end from engagingthe opposite strap portion of the mounting. In this way provision ismade for variations in the thickness of the lenses so that the oppositestrap portions of the mounting will not be spread apart, but will tsnugly against the sides of the lens.

With the strap portions I3 pressed tightly against the sides of the lens2 and the pin I 0 pushed through the holes with its head abutting theside Vof the mounting, heat is applied with a blow-'torch or othersuitable means. The heat causes the solder s or other cement to flowalong the pin I0 to surround its stem 22 in the hole 26 and to lill thegrooves of the threads thereof as shown in Fig. 5. After cooling thecement or solder solidies to form a strong, permanent bond between thepin and the mounting. When the hole 26 is threaded, as herein shown, thecement or solder adheres to the threads to furthe strengthen the bond.

As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the reduced stem 22 of the pin I0 is'maderelatively long to provide a convenient grip for the ngers or pliers inpicking it up and assembling it in the mounting. This added length alsoguards against loss of the pin due to minuteness. After the parts areassembled in the manner as above explained,

the projecting portion of the stem 22 of the pin p present inventionprovides a particularly simple yet eiiicient method and means forsecuring ophthalmic mountings to the lenses of eyeglasses andspectacles. The securing pin may be conveniently applied and cemented inplace by the simple operation of heating the joint and after the cementor solder becomes set or solidified a firm and rigid joinder of theparts is effected. The cement is preferably of a frangible nature toprovide for the convenient removal of the pin when it is desired todisconnect the parts for the purpose of changing the lenses. Should itbe required to remove the mounting for repair or replacement of the lensthis is readily accomplished by heating the joint to melt the solder orcement, after which the pin I0 maybe pushed out or withdrawn withpliers.

The securing pin is inexpensive to manufacture and may be readilyassembled in place by the optician who fits the glasses to the wearer.

Moreover, the device may be applied to use with ture and arrangement ofthe parts of the device and in the method of securing'the parts togetherwithout departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claim. Iclaim:

As a new article of manufacture, an ophthalmic mounting for rimlesseyeglasses and spectacles consisting in a strap member having portionsadapted to straddle the sides of a lens and formed with axially aligningholes, one of said holes being smaller than the other and formed'.v withindentations on its interior, said lens having a hole adjacent its rimlarger than the holes in the strap and adapted to align therewith, a pinextending through the aligned holes in the strap and lens and having abody portion of substantially the size of the larger hole in the strapmember with a head at its end and a stem of lesser diameter projectingfrom the opposite end of the body, said stem being of -less diameterthan the hole through which it extends to provide an annular spacetherebetween, and a. bond of cement of stepped annular form in theopening between the pin and lens and the opening between the stem andstrap portion through which it extends to bond the parts securelytogether with a. rigid joint.

LAURENCE C. MARTIN.

